Improvement in fire-escapes



H. J. BOWMAN. Fire-Escape.

No. 200,600. Patented Feb. '26, 1878.

B 4 29%6 A D g Z E C) MPEIERS, PHOTO-UTNDGRAFNER. WASHINGTON, D. C

UNITED STATES PATENTOEEIGE.

HEZEKIAH J. BOWMAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO MARTIN LAUER, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FlRE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,600, dated February 26, 1878 application filed October 18, 1877.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, HEZEKIAH J. BOWMAN, of Cleveland, in the county of (Juyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Fire-E scapes, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a vertical section. Fig. 3 is an adjustable lever and hook from which to hang the rope.

The object of the invention is to furnish a device, to be connected with an ordinary rope, by which a person may readily and easily lower himself from upper-story windows; and consists of a clamp through which the rope passes, regulated by a hand-screw for governing the tension, said clamp having attacheda clevis, to which a basket or swing-seat or belt may be attached for holding the person to be lowered. It is also provided with staples, from which other persons orgoods may be suspended. This clamp is so constructed and arranged on the rope that it may be run either way, so that when it has run clown the rope maybe reversed, end for end, and serve the same purpose.

In the drawing, A B 0 represent three strips of wood or other suitable material, secured at their ends by bands or otherwise, the center strip, B, being arranged to play between the other two, sufficient space being left for that purpose; the strips A and B forming the jaws of the clamp.

Through the strip A, near the ends, two holes are made, between which, on the inside face, is cut a groove deep enough to receive nearly half the thickness of the rope D, the

strip B having a like groove in'its face adjoinbelt, or other suitable device for holding a person. There are also provided a number of staples, G, for suspending other persons or goods.

In Fig. 3 is represented a lever, H, having a hook on the end, which may besecured to the side of a window-frame, from which to suspend the rope of this device. It is pivoted so that it may be turned up out of the way when not in use, as seen by dotted lines, and is held in that position by a spring-catch. The object of this lever is to provide a ready means of suspending the rope a suitable distance out from the side of the building, and free the person descending from any projecting objects which might interfere.

The operation'of this device is as follows: A person wishing to lower himself will first turn the screw up tight, and thus hold the-clamp in place until he has secured himself and such other persons or articles as he may desire; then, by turning the screw back again until the tension is decreased, may allow the clamp to slide down the rope with its load, and he can at any time or place, while descending, control the tension by the screw, so as to descend fast or slow, as he desires.

It will be seen that the clevis, being pivoted to the clamp, may be run in reverse directions on the rope, so that the rope may be hung by either of its ends, thus enabling the rope to be reversed, instead of running the clamp back again for repeated use.

Having now described my invention, I claim- The combination of the strips A B O, rope D, screw E, and clevis F, when constructed and arranged to operate substantially as shown and described, for the purpose set forth.

H. J. BOWMAN.

Witnesses:

GEo. W. TIBBIrrs, S. S. WHEELER. 

